1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to overhead monorail personal transit systems, particularly to one with greater stability and an improved turning system.
2. Prior Art
Although there has been a general recognition of the need for well constructed, safe, and rapid transit systems to transport people in large as well as intermediate sized cities, the costs have been essentially prohibitive.
Overhead monorail system have been proposed to solve this need, and have been known for many years, but previous designs were deficient in simplicity of operation, lightness of overall weight, economy of manufacture, reliability, and safety of operation.
Examples of previous suggested monorail systems are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,781,001 to Davino (1957); 3,064,585 to Ewing, Jr. (1962); 3,830,163 to Wright et al. (1974); 3,853,068 to Avery (1974); 3,937,147 to Szent-Miklosy (1976);3,987,734 to Horn (1976); 4,171,670 to Roberts (1979); 4,393,786 to Dull et al. (1983); and 4,522,128 to Anderson (1985).
One of the most difficult problems concerns stability of the carriage and the overhead guideway switching mechanisms; the latter are supposed to enable the depending vehicle to turn onto a secondary or side guideway in a safe, reliable manner. It has been noted, particularly in the above Anderson patent, that it is desirable to eliminate any moving parts in the guideway itself. However such designs require additional guide rails at the intersections or diversion locations for guiding the vehicle through a turn.